


Tear a barrier

by Ancalima



Series: Safe here [14]
Category: Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Family, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-10
Updated: 2016-08-10
Packaged: 2018-08-07 22:10:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7731637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ancalima/pseuds/Ancalima
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>His encounter with the Inquisitors left marks, some just aren't visible to the world. Good thing he has a family looking after him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tear a barrier

**Author's Note:**

> I have the ANGSTIEST chapter ever further down the line. I've been working on it for DAYS. And its done. And I want to upload it, its the same one I've been threatening you all with. And YET I can't. Because I need to follow the time line here haha. So here, enjoy some Rex time.

Rex caught on first. The old clone might not have the bond to guide him but he did have eyes and a long experience fighting along-side Jedi's and their padawans. And by now he knew Ezra.

Just something in the way Ezra moved, sometimes reaching out and holding onto the wall as if needing the support or generally seemed to have his eyes unfocused after the return from the old Republic medical station. Or even bumping into people, something Ezra was usually very good at avoiding.

He knew he'd have one hell of a time getting the hard-headed child to admit to anything and instead drew the Jedi's attention.

At first he thought Kanan would blow him off and ignore him until Rex eyes moved to Ezra quickly. That got the Jedi's attention. 'Well, good to know he can listen to me about something.' He thought dryly before picking up one of the empty bomb shells Sabine had been tinkering with, making sure Kanan was paying attention.

“...Ezra?” He called out, catching Zeb's attention where he was playing Sabine in dejarik in a attempt to relax from the attack of the Inquisitors, the bombing artist glancing up too before focusing at the serious look on Rex face and the way Kanan was looking closely.

“Mmmmn?” Ezra glanced up, hand hovering as he had been about to reach for the fridge.

“Dodge.” Rex threw the shell, as fast as he could.

Ezra yelped then promptly hit the galley wall, his moves sluggish as he actually dodged but still hit the wall instead as he went left instead of right in his attempt to get away and then struggled to remain upright, reaching out for the galley counter for support. Hera almost dropped her mug in surprise and Chopper warbled curiously.

“Ezra?” Kanan got up, moving to the teen quickly, taking the others arms and holding him up.

“Fine, 'm fine...” Ezra blinked up at Kanan then sent him a bright smile. “See?”

Kanan just frowned at him, keeping one steadying hand on the others shoulder and cupping his chin with the other to raise the teens chin. “No, you're not.” It grated on his nerves for the clone to notice first but that could be ignored as Kanan examined the of focused eyes of the teen in front of him.

“Sabine and Zeb are bruised but fine because they've gotten treatment, you are not moving right however and you're not fine because I know you haven't been to any treatment. What happened?”

Ezra seemed to struggle a bit, staring up at Kanan. Then he sighed, giving in. “...The...the Inquisitor. She did something. I don't know, it felt like she was trying to...to rip my brain apart when she had me? Kept asking me questions...called me pretty.” He grunted. “Could have done without her touching me. But she did something to my head and I didn't think anything could be done for it”

That time Hera did drop her cup. “She what? Ezra, did she...” 

He looked towards her in confusion. “Huh?” Her stomach acids were rebelling dangerously at her own thought and Sabine caught on quickly to what she was implying.

“He didn't look...I mean, he wasn't undressed when I arrived.” Sabine offered quickly, suddenly second guessing herself and Ezra looked towards her with wide eyes before looking back at Hera, struggling in Kanan's grip. “No! Nothing like that! She just...I mean..” He waved his hands shakily.

“...Nothing like that?” He tried weakly. “She just...generally...touched? And talked? And did something to my head?” 

The Jedi took a deep breath through his nose and let it calmly out through his mouth before focusing on the matter at hand. “Ezra...I need you to lower all your shields and let me in, alright?”

“But...but that would leave me-”

“Open. I know, but no one is going to get in. I won't let them get into your mind.” Kanan assured. “Trust me Ezra...” He murmured when the teenager hesitated. “...Alright.”

He smiled a bit then closed his eyes, reaching out slowly as he felt the Force thrum through him, guiding him into the opened mind of Ezra, Kanan bringing his own shields with him just in case anyone tried anything. 

Slowly he started to examine the barriers Ezra had built under his guidance, gently soothing every time he felt Ezra's discomfort rise.

And each time he did he felt it slowly sink back down at his assurance.

He had a feeling he knew what he was looking for as he let the Force guide him to a tear in the barriers. Kanan frowned in the real world as he slowly tried to brush it, feeling Ezra's alarm as he did, his padawan recognizing that something wasn't right.

He pulled back and looked into Ezra's wide blue eyes. “What...what was that?”

“A tear. This Inquisitor, she went in and hammered at your barriers, not caring if she pulled something lose or ruined it.”

“Ruined it? My brain?!” Ezra squeaked, eyes impossibly wide.

Usually Zeb would defuse the situation with a witty comment but he didn't think that would be appreciated at this moment, at all.

“No, no Ezra. She hasn't. There's a tear in your barriers. The same barriers that protect you.” Kanan assured, holding Ezra's shoulders. “And those can be fixed.”

“...Fixed?”

“Yes. These things happen Ezra, if someone tries to pull information out of your mind by force and you fight against it, eventually something has to give on either end. Either your mind or their power. This time your mind was tearing but she stopped before it happened fully.”

“How...do we heal it though?” Ezra swallowed, letting Kanan guide him away from the others.

“Same way we built them. We meditate, but I'll help you repair them this time.” Kanan squeezed a shoulder gently.

“Oh...good...good...she didn't touch me like that though. Just...just so you know.” Ezra swallowed heavily. The idea was nauseating him.

“I believe you, but you gotta understand that we worry. We don't really know what limit they will have to get what they want.” Kanan sighed and held the teen to him. He worried about the teen beside him, things were getting a lot harder a lot faster then he appreciated, fighting a war was different then what they had done, the needs of the few scarified for the many, the military protocols and the rules.

He didn't want Ezra involved in it.

But he knew he couldn't get him away from it either. Not when he wanted to help.

And like it or not, the best way to help right now was to stick with the Rebellions army.

“...Come on, we'll get this fixed up Ezra...together.” He squeezed the others shoulder carefully.

Having those trusting blue eyes peer up at him made it worth it and Kanan smiled gently back.

He wasn't about to let those eyes down if he could help it.


End file.
